The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Kids’ marathon marks Vijay Diwas celebrations
Brigadier Arul Dennis offers wreath at the war memorial at village Asafwala in Fazilka Fazilka, December 19
A students marathon of 431 school-children, including 125 girls, marked the celebration of Vijay Diwas at the historic Indo-Pak War Memorial at village Asafwala here on Sunday. The programme was jointly organised by the Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee and the Army formations at Fazilka. Brigadier Arul Dennis flagged off a nine kilometer marathon for boys while social activist Sudesh Kumari Nagpal flagged off a two kilometer race for girls.

Brigadier Arul Dennis offers wreath at the war memorial at village Asafwala in Fazilka on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Animals from only three states take part in National Livestock Championship
Muktsar, December 19
Though the state government claimed to have organised a National Livestock Championship from December 17 to 19 at Guru Gobind Singh Sports Stadium here, yet animals from only three states including the hosts Punjab participated in this much publicised annual event.

Cong banking on Kaka in Dharamkot
Moga, December 19
With rebel Akali leader Sukhjit Singh Kaka joining the Congress, the ruling SAD will have to sit up. Known as Kaka Lohgarh, he is a popular figure here. He won the recently held SGPC elections even though Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and local Akali stalwart Jathedar Tota Singh vigorously campaigned against him.

Prosthetic camp held
Fazilka, December 19
Fifty physically challenged persons were provided with artificial limbs, calipers and crutches at a mega prosthetic camp organised by the NGO Social Welfare Society. Besides, 30 persons were given hearing aids at the camp, organised in the memory of local philanthropist Purshotam Dass Periwal with the help of Lala Durga Charan Artificial Limbs Centre, Jaipur, and the Parbati Devi Trust, Ambala Cantonment, at the Arorvansh Bhawan.

Contractual staff of sports dept block highway
Gidderbaha, December 19
The coaches and other staff, recruited by the state Sports Department on contract basis, blocked the Malout-Chandigarh highway at Thehri Fakkarsar village for about an hour this afternoon.

Seminar on excellence in teacher education held
Bathinda, December 19
The Dasmesh Girls College of Education, Badal, in Muktsar district held a national seminar on "Towards excellence on teacher education" on Saturday. A galaxy of educationists participated and spoke on the topic.

	Work to prepare ‘Cancer Atlas’ in Punjab begins Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, December 19 While the state health department and NGOs in Punjab have divergent opinions about the prevalence of cancer in the state, a team of medical experts from the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Non-communicable Diseases Research, Bangalore, reached Faridkot. With the help from the state health department, private hospitals and medical institutions in the state, the team started on-the-spot assessment of cancer cases to develop an atlas of cancer in Punjab. After the state government approached the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) to monitor the actual cancer burden over a period of time and between regions, the ICMR has assigned the job to the National Centre for Disease Informatics (NCDI), said Dr SS Gill, vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot. For the last many years, there are divergent views about the prevalence of cancer cases in Punjab in the absence of any data. The purpose of setting up the Cancer Registry and Developing an Atlas of Cancer Cases is to report the incidence and mortality of cancer and to determine survival in cancer patients, in a specified population with a defined geographic area, said Dr Manjit Singh Bal, a senior pathologist and principal investigator, Population Based Cancer Registry. Amidst the talks of environment and water toxicity being the main cause for the high prevalence of cancer, in June this year, the state health department, in collaboration with the ICMR started the Cancer Registry and in the last six month, a number of new cases were registered. But as a large number of cancer cases were going unreported, so now, all medical institutions, hospitals, diagnostic centers, pathologists, radio therapists, oncology-physicians and surgeons over the country have been asked to register every cancer case under their treatment or diagnosis, said Dr Bal. Sources revealed that in the last six months, after the start of cancer registry, over 900 new cancer cases have been reported from Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Sangrur areas only. Once the reporting is complete, the statistics from the Registry will have major implications for healthcare leaders and policy-makers and will help in preparing programmes for early detection, control and prevention of cancer, said Dr SS Gill. An Atlas on Cancer Cases in Punjab would be completed in the next two years, said Dr Bal. The ICMR and the state health department team members are even approaching the cremation grounds and gurudwaras to find out the cases of cancer deaths as the affected families some times have inhibition in revealing the cause of the death, said Dr Bal. The one-day ICMR workshop in Faridkot was aimed at creating “Awareness about registration of cancer cases and problems faced by the personnel in collecting this information.”
	Breach in sewage water tank wreaks havoc Raj Sadosh Abohar, December 19 Failure on the part of the municipal council and the civil administration in resolving the stalemate over the fortnight long blockade by some farmers of the main sewage channel end wreaked unprecedented havoc on Monday. A major breach in the makeshift sewage water tank virtually cut off Shivpuri — the main cremation ground, inundated the godowns owned by the Food Corporation of India and Central Warehousing Corporation besides steel storage centre and two schools, developed cracks in houses, submerged streets in Indira Nagari as well as main roads and half a dozen other localities. More than 250-feet long boundary wall of the cremation ground has collapsed, management chief Mahabir Singla said. Many shops remained closed as customers lost access. Virender Khullar and Hans Raj, managers of the respective godowns, told the visiting media persons that they had repeatedly informed the Municipal Council chief and other officials last week that accumulating dirty water posed a threat to the stocks of wheat, paddy, gram and fertilizers worth crores, but none bothered. As many as 50 trolleys loaded with sand had been pressed into service to prevent water from entering the godowns but they now fear it may not yield effective results as gushing water continued to flow in. Indira Nagari residents, Wazir Chand, Sham Lal and Ravi Kumar, regretted that the Council chief Shiv Raj Goyal had not been able to protect the ward that he represented. Farmers have pressed more JCB machines into service to strengthen the bundh around their fields to safeguard the leftover crops. Officials said in the evening that farmers opposed the move to remove the blockade when council staff reached the sewage channel. SDM Jasdeep Singh Aulakh, Municipal Council president Shiv Raj Goyal and city police SHO Amarbir Singh who visited the site have decided to get the blockade removed using the police force. The authorities have also decided to keep the drinking water supply suspended until the situation improves.
	Kids’ marathon marks Vijay Diwas celebrations Praful Chander Nagpal Fazilka, December 19 A students marathon of 431 school-children, including 125 girls, marked the celebration of Vijay Diwas at the historic Indo-Pak War Memorial at village Asafwala here on Sunday. The programme was jointly organised by the Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee and the Army formations at Fazilka. Brigadier Arul Dennis flagged off a nine kilometer marathon for boys while social activist Sudesh Kumari Nagpal flagged off a two kilometer race for girls. Later on, wreaths at the sanctum sanctorum in the memorial complex were placed by chief guest, Punjab Cabinet Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani, Brigadier Arul Dennis, additional deputy commissioner Charandev Singh Maan, Commanding Officer, 12 Dogra, Colonel Pankaj Dhayani (Kirti Chakra), Commanding Officer, 10 Jakrif, Colonel Anil Yadav, Commanding Officer, 18 Garhwal Rifle, Colonel Rajesh Sah (Vir Chakra), Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee president Sandeep Gilhotra and other senior officials and dignitaries of the Fazilka area. “The war memorial of Asafwala is a most serene, pious place of obeisance and a great source of patriotic inspiration,” described Surjit Kumar Jyani described while addressing the gathering. He lauded the efforts of the Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee for maintaining the memorial and Armymen for their co-operation in organising a grand Vijay Diwas programme. He presented a cheque of Rs 5 lakhs for facelift of the memorial. Brigadier Arul Dennis, while paying glowing tributes to the martyrs of the Indian army, called upon the youth to make a disciplined effort for the progress and development of the country. “The civilians too should follow the pattern of the army and be disciplined in discharging their duties while working for the building for the nation,” said ADC Charandev Singh Maan. A colourful patriotic cultural programme was presented by the students of the Government Girls Senior Secondary School, the Jyoti B.Ed College, the DAV B.Ed. College, the Shri Guru Hari Krishan ITI College. A play on martyrs Bhagat Singh Rajguru and Sukhdev, a mime on terrorism and individual song by Suchita Trikha left the audience spell-bound and emotional. The dignitaries distributed cycles to winners of first and second positions of the marathon while 16 other students, eight each from boys and girls, were given consolation prizes. The war memorial is a site to commemorate the supreme sacrifices of 225 army jawans of 4 Jat, 15 Rajput and 3 Assam Regiments, who had laid down their lives while defending the country in the 1971 Indo-Pak war in Fazilka sector. The collective cremation of 82 jawans of 4 Jat Regiment was performed at the site of the memorial after the cease- fire on December 16, 1971. The indebted residents of Fazilka town with their own efforts had raised a memorial for “The Saviours of Fazilka” on a small piece of land. The memorial has been in due course of time developed in an area of about 5.5 acres comprising a unique war memorial museum, a community centre, a children’s park, a high school and a dispensary. Uma Sharma, Public Relations Officer, Chandigarh, retired SDM BL Sikka and senior vice-president of the Samadhi Committee Amar Chand Bhateja, traced a brief history of the war and subsequent raising up of the memorial.
	Animals from only three states take part in National Livestock Championship Archit Watts/TNS Muktsar, December 19 Though the state government claimed to have organised a National Livestock Championship from December 17 to 19 at Guru Gobind Singh Sports Stadium here, yet animals from only three states including the hosts Punjab participated in this much publicised annual event. Going through the data procured from the organizing committee members of the three-day long event, the Animal Husbandry Department, merely 10 per cent of the total participation of nearly 4,500 animals was from the other states. The column of other states included only Haryana and Rajasthan, from where the department claimed that nearly 450 animals were registered for different competitions. Dr Jaidev Singh, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department said, "Only Haryana and Rajasthan, except for Punjab participated in the event. The animals registered from these two states were nearly 450, which included nearly 300 from Haryana." When asked about the reason behind the lack of participation from other states, he said, "We had invited all the states. Even the prizes worth Rs 55 lakh were distributed among the winners in various categories. But some states did not participate in the event." "Even the animals from Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, which had performed well last year, did not come this year. But we will find out the reason in the coming days," the Deputy Director added. Meanwhile, those who put up their stalls at the event were also displeased this year as they claimed that their business remained much less than in the previous years. "We had paid a rent of Rs 5,000 for the three-day long event. But our total sale remained at Rs 4,000 only. Now, one can better understand the response of the public during this year's national livestock championship," said Satyendra Pratap Singh, a sales executive of Burlvets Nutritional Technologies, Gurgaon. Similarly, the staff at the Verka stall also said that the contest remained a low-key affair. Later this evening, the National Livestock Championship concluded this evening and the chief guest, Minister for Animal Husbandry Gulzar Singh Ranike distributed prizes worth Rs 55 lakh among the owners of winning animals. Harsimrat, Sukhbir give it a miss Both the husband-wife, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who was to inaugurate the event on December 17 and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, who had to distribute prizes during the conclusion ceremony, could not turn up at the event due to some other pressing engagements. — TNS
	Cong banking on Kaka in Dharamkot Kulwinder Sandhu /TNS Moga, December 19 With rebel Akali leader Sukhjit Singh Kaka joining the Congress, the ruling SAD will have to sit up. Known as Kaka Lohgarh, he is a popular figure here. He won the recently held SGPC elections even though Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and local Akali stalwart Jathedar Tota Singh vigorously campaigned against him. Once considered close to the Badal family, the was denied the party ticket for the SGPC elections a few hours before the filing of nominations and he romped home on a sympathy wave. Kaka will have to compete with several contenders for the party ticket, including president of the Punjab Mahila Congress Dr Malti Thapar who has already started a mass contact campaign. There are at least six more aspirants for the party ticket. On Kaka’s entry into the Congress, Dr Thapar said: “We welcome him into the party but cannot assure him a party nomination.” However, Kaka said he had joined the Congress after being assured of a party ticket. “I will contest the assembly elections,” he said with an air of determination. The people of Dharamkot have not elected a Congress candidate in the past couple of decades. The Congress is now banking on Kaka’s goodwill.